Catching Up on the Uncanny X-Cast

[Mr. Sinister]

This is a thread I started back on the old forums. The gist is this:

I started the Uncanny X-Cast sometime after episode 50. I listened for a bit, but I eventually fell far behind.

As of last year, I decided to go back and start listening from the very first podcast. I figured it might be fun to hear about the the old stuff I've read, plus hear their reactions to that older stuff, including the retro reviews. As an added bonus, I would understand certain in-jokes, like mentioning Cypher all of the time, and a musical that went down.

What I got was much, much more entertaining. Often our hosts would throw out random theories, just to see them come true. And I got to see the evolution of both podcasters, but especially Rob. Their early debate on the future of digital comics was awesome, and Rob somehow predicted the coming of the iPad without realizing it.

So when I listen to a podcast, I take notes on what I think is interesting, like predictions, funny stuff, or other great moments in the Uncanny X-Cast. Notes that I put in the thread, broken up by episode.

Unfortunately, any notes pre-episode 53 have been lost with the old forums, but those are the breaks. My next post will have the latest batch of notes.

Enjoy.

[Thomacus]

Yeah, Rob totally predicted the iPad!

[Mr. Sinister]

Episode 54

We open with Linguini. I couldn't stop laughing.

And it turns out to be a "It's a Wonderful Life" parody. This is hilarious.

Best line goes to Brian: "Fine, I'll hang out with Rob and deal with his shitty impressions and the fact that he never reads the comics."

Rob has started Geoff Johns' the Flash. He likes it.

Rob's suggestion for Marvel and digital comics: Marvel needs to put out all the new comics on Wednesday out online for 20-25 bucks. Brian agrees.

Rob bought nearly the entire run of Power Pack on Ebay for 10.50.

On Shelves Now: The decision has been made to review minis in one sitting.

Rob has an unprecedented seven buys.

They seem to finally be done with Young X-Men (#8).

As for Original Sin, they like Xavier mind-wiping Wolverine. And they feel Daken should be worse that he is.

In Uncanny X-Men, they dislike Dr. Nemesis.

They are wary of Dark Reign books.

In Retro Reviews, I learned Kitty was briefly leader of the X-Men.

Rob is sort of excited about Power Pack.

Rob liked the Legion stuff in New Mutants.

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Episode 55

Young X-Men is cancelled to fanfare. As much as they can muster, anyway.

They address Peter David's interview with a site. I never knew he was unhappy with his writing and the artwork.

David says the book will turn itself around with issue 39. Rob is skeptical.

Rob: Saying that fans have a responsibility to local comic shops is a ridiculous argument.

Rob liked Cable #8, and likes the relationship between Cable and the girl.

Brian:"You know that in a year this kid's gonna be 15 and joining..."

Rob: "When they return, the baby will be 18."

They enjoy Uncanny X-Men #505. They agree that they prefer Fraction to Brubaker on the title. They like Emma starting to figure things out about Cyclops and X-Force. Also, Rob sides with the Juggernaut over Xavier.

They found the conclusion of Original Sin to be okay, but are still a bit skeptical about Daken.

They liked X-Infernus. They love Pixie.

Rob: "We're not gonna see Magik return anytime soon."

Year-end awards! I'll go through a few:
Break out character: Rockslide
Comeback character: Angel
Best villain: Rob - Vulcan, Brian - Bishop
MVP: Xavier
Writer - Brian - Kyle and Yost, Rob - Mark Millar
Biggest disappointment - Young X-Men/Cancellation of New X-Men and transformation into Young X-Men

Rob sort of liked the first five issues of Power Pack, but thinks it'll just be the same story over and over after.

Rob on Power Pack: "I take the shitty things I said about it back.It was really friggin' good, but wordy."

They love the tight continuity of the Retros. In comparison Brian says: "They take a separate mini for Secret Invasion for the X-Men, and still can't tie the damn thing in!"

Secret Wars 2 sounds pretty awful. I need to read it.

[MJStarchilde]

haha wow seems like yesterday

[Mr. Sinister]

Episode 56

Rob likes the Warren Ellis Thunderbolts trades.

Some saps leeched off Rob's internet. A cease and desist letter leads to Rob swearing off torrenting. Mostly. Sort of.

Our hosts say they are done with going through solicitations every month.

Brian says New Mutants are clearly coming back , especially since Marvel has a free comic that gets yo0u up to date on the New mutants. No one had high hopes or sees anything that can be done with them.

There is a discussion about vasectomies.

Brian notices that when they started the podcast, the hosts had totally different viewpoints. Now a lot of their opinions run together, This has been interesting to see (and apparent) after listening to these episodes almost one-after-the-other.

In X-Force #10, Brian is about over his dislike of Elixir's golden skin, as the character is written great. Retro reviews have come in handy with the Demon Bear stuff.

We have our first Uncanny X-Cast Role-play.

The role-play of the UncannyXMen.net owner was hilarious, and makes me wonder if that "feud" will ever draw to a close, or be mentioned again.

Brian says that the baby in X-Factor will add depth to Siryn and Madrox, and will also be human.

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Episode 57

Rob will be teaching a class on Podcasting.

Rob likes the Wolverine and the X-Men cartoon.

Covering stories from the New York Comic Con, Brian thinks X-Men Forever is an awesome idea, and if Claremont can't pull this off, he is finished. Rob says that Claremont will likely do crazy stuff, and kill people left and right. That being said, Brian does not have a lot of confidence in the comic.

There is some trepidation about the newly-announced New Mutants series.

In the review of Cable #10, Rob is afraid this comic isn't going anywhere.

With the review of X-Factor #39, this appears to be the episode where I started listening to the Uncanny X-Cast. I remember this because of the mini-rant on Peter David's "Do Not Spoil" page.

There is a hilarious In-the-Mansion done by Count Nefaria.

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Episode 58

This episode is entirely an Andy Schmidt interview.

[Mr. Sinister]

Episode 59

Brian read Cherry Poptart, due to a lost bet.Our hosts talk about it. Things get both uncomfortable and funny.

Brian: "Interestingly enough, I expected more penetration."

They can't stand Young X-Men #10. They hate Cipher.

They love X-Force #11. Rob says it is "fan-friggin'-tastic". Brian is amazed he liked a book that was essentially about Eli Bard. They loved Caliban and Thunderbird techno-organically being resurrected.

Rob makes two predictions connected to X-Force:
A) This explains why Cypher looks techno-organic in the promo materials/solicits.
B) He predicts the return of Banshee.

Brian figures Caliban is going to put a team together with a few b-listers.

Brian says Banshee will not be back, disagreeing with Rob. This becomes the subject of a bet between them.

Rob can't stand X-Factor #40. Jamie Madrox is a "sniveling coward", and, according to solicits, a "scumbag" for getting with Layla Miller. He also feels Layla's return was "overblown".

Brian disagrees with Rob about everything except the Miller return.

For myself, The X-Factor debates are something I remember when I first started listening to this podcast.

Brian Braddock (Captain Britain) comes on to give "advice". Bangers and mash ensues.

They can't stand Secret Wars 2 #5 to 6. Rob liked that Marvel introduced a character with the personality of Boom Boom, even if he didn't like her all that much. Rob also loves the name "the In-Betweener".

In Retro Reviews, they get to Brian's favorite New Mutants story, the Asgardian Saga. (New Mutants Special Edition #1 and X-Men Annual #9). Rob loved it as well.

In X-Men #200, we get the trial of Magneto and him joining the team. I look forward to future recaps, as I feel this is a bit of a new era.

[Mr. Sinister]

Episode 60

They both saw Watchmen and loved it, preferring the movie ending to the comic's.

Brian is intrigued by solicits of X-Men Forever and the X-Men/Dark Avengers crossover.

In On Shelves Now, Rob has an unprecedented four passes.

In Uncanny X-Men #506, Rob can't stand the science team, and especial Dr. Nemesis. He feels they will have their own comic.

Overall, Brian feels like Storm, Cyclops, Beast, and others appearing in multiple titles are being written as caricatures of themselves.

In Cable #11 , Rob finally thinks the book isn't going anywhere. Brian actually comes around and has some faith in the book.

Rob: "In issue 27 when they're still time-hopping, talk to me."
Brian: "That's not going to happen."

Brian feels they are going to resolve everything with the Cable/X-Force crossover.

There is a possible bet regarding Cable. Rob feels that after the crossover, it will still be Cable and an older Hope on the run, with them possibly coming back to the present. Brian doesn't feel the book will be a Cable/Hope buddy book, and there will be no more time traveling.

They bot hated X-Men Noir.

Rob has started the Count Nefaria Twitter stuff.

On the Top Five Worst Mutant Powers, Rob picks Cypher as number four.

There's a discussion if Unus can get a handjob, and if his force-field is like a condom.

Angel is Rob's number one, with the reasoning that "80% of the X-Men can do that, plus something cool on top of that."

Number one for Brian is Wither, who he admits is an interesting character. His criteria for this list was powers he wouldn't want to get stuck with.

In Retro Reviews, we have out first look at Nathan Summers, Cyclops being a dick, Magneto taking charge of the New Mutants, and the Cyclops/Storm duel. Also, Secret Wars II still sucks.

[MJStarchilde]

nice recap...

[Mr. Sinister]

[CountNefaria]

LOL These are so great. I wish we had the old thread, I'll compile this into a book

I also can't believe how many of the same problems seem to still exist in the X-Men universe.

[MJStarchilde]

[Mr. Sinister]

[MJStarchilde]

I wonder if the server host would give it up?

[Slym]

The ghost of Peter Rios took it as one of his treasures.

[MJStarchilde]

wa ha ha haaaaa.... a geeky group of kids will find it deep beneath a wishing well.

[Mr. Sinister]

Episode 61

Brian doesn't think X-Men Forever is going to sell well, and is getting pummeled on the forums for expressing interest in it. Rob thinks it'll at least be interesting, but doesn't think it will be good.

Rob doesn't like the Fantastic Four, and feels it's just 500 issues of the same characters.

They discuss some solicitations. Rob thinks that since Emma Frost's featured in the Dark X-Men, Jean Grey will be back with the regular X-Men. (There are also Phoenix images floating around at the time, fueling that suspicion)

Rob loves G.I. Joe: Cobra, with Chuckles.

In X-Force #13, they love Boom-Boom getting her brains blown out. They dismiss theories that it's not her due to time-travel, and believe she is dead for good.

They liked the end of X-Men: Infernus #4, and that there is a soulless Illyanna running around.

They thought X-Men: Kingbreaker was going to be horrific. It wasn't. Brian thinks Gladiator will turn in War of Kings.

We come to the end of an "era", the last issue of Young X-Men (#11). It still sucks.

They chat with Rob's brother, Woody.

Woody on Rob: "Everything he does is calculated, he just doesn't give a shit."

In Retro Reviews, it's interesting that San Francisco is welcoming of the X-Men.

They finish the dreck that is Secret Wars II.

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Episode #62

Brian brings us the phenomenon that is Twilight. He got thirty pages in and stopped. "This is the worst thing of all time."

They discuss some solicits. Deadpool doesn't need multiple books. War of Kings is intriguing.

They are upset at solicitation spoilers that say Emma Frost betrays the X-Men for the Dark X-Men.

Brian is upset that Rob may be right about Cable not going anywhere after the crossover. Solicits seem to show Cable's doing the same thing. Brian hopes it's just a trick to throw readers off.

In On Shelves Now, They are like Messiah War so far. They return of Stryfe should be stupid, but it is intriguing.

With tensions arising, Rob thinks the X-Men will split. Xavier and Jean will be on one team, Cyclops and Magneto will be on the other.

[Oh crap, does this mean Rob predicted Schism? He was half right.]

For the first time, Brian passes on X-Men Legacy (#222), not caring about Danger, the Shiar, or getting inside Rogue's head.

In Uncanny #507, Brian feels that the way Cyclops is being portrayed goes against his character, especially with the line: "We're building an army."

If the X-Club get their own book, Rob says he's leaving the show.

They both loved Magneto getting his powers restored by the High Evolutionary.

In X-Factor #41, both hosts are not happy to be back in the future. Rob thinks Madrox is creepy.

Rob on Peter David and X-Factor: "How the mighty have fallen."

In Casting Call, Rob casts New Mutant Karma as a porn star. There's also something about her being a lemon cream.

In Retro Reviews, we get our first Lady Deathstrike, and some confusing banter about Yukio, Yuriko, Amiko, and Mariko.

[MJStarchilde]

[CountNefaria]

LMAO!!!! My brothers quote about me is fantastic. Totally forgot that. Also completely forgot "lemon cream" which was for a time one of my favorite things in show history. I need to pay someone to pull all these clips

[MJStarchilde]

I think you guys need a zombie intern lol

[Mr. Sinister]

Episode 63

The episode started off a bit differently, with short clips of the hosts and bumper-girl saying, "Hope you survive the experience."

Rob thinks there's a ridiculously small amount of black mutants.

There's also a discussion about how out of character Bishop is acting, and at this point, he has killed thousands.

Rob on Peter David (X-Factor #42): "He's the P.T. Barnum of comics."

Rob surprisingly likes Wolverine: Weapon X #1. Brian hates it. There's a bid debate. Rob thinks it's going in an interesting direction while Brian thinks it's more of the same.

The hosts once again take opposite sides with New Mutants #1. Rob felt nothing happened in it while Brian felt the story is moving along in an interesting direction. Rob thinks Brian is reading the book through rose-colored glasses. They can agree that they both liked seeing Illyanna.

Rob: "Say what you will about the boobs, but I love Greg Land's Art. He should do the next Cherry Poptart."

They're still loving the Sisterhood of Evil Mutants in Uncanny #508.

In X-Force #14, they continue to enjoy the crossover, and Rob feels there hasn't been a bad issue.

In Retro Review, we now have a new book, X-Factor, and the return of Jean Grey.

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Episode 64

Interview with Zeb Wells.